


Thermal Equilibrium

by idiotbrothers



Category: Tiny Meat Gang (Band)
Genre: (like... VERY light. if you squint.), Banter, Embarrassment, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Light Dom/sub, M/M, POV Noel, Sexual Tension, Teasing, also Cody is...Baby, basically Cody is thirsty and Noel teases him for it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 01:50:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20827400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idiotbrothers/pseuds/idiotbrothers
Summary: Cody gets flustered around Noel increasingly often. Noel notices.





	Thermal Equilibrium

**Author's Note:**

> Usual disclaimer: I made this all up! It's just for fun! Please don't show this to anyone associated with TMG or I will be sad!

Noel noticed that Cody had completely tuned out of their conversation around three _uh-huhs_ ago. Noel was also distracted, what with the sun glaring down at them like a motherfucker and his futile attempt to combat it with a dripping bottle of San Pellegrino pressed to his neck, but Cody was in another zone entirely.

“Man, did I tell you about this video I found the other week?” Noel undid the fourth button on his shirt as he spoke, because _fuck this weather_. Cody just grunted ambiguously in response, his eyes glazed over. If Noel didn’t know better, he’d _definitely_ assume Cody was high. The obvious course of action was to mess with him.

“So I was digging _deep_ into my folder of scat porn, right?” 

“Uh-huh,” Cody muttered, still miles away. 

Noel gave up, irritation sparking through him. He clicked his tongue and twisted the cap off his bottle of mineral water, lifting it to his mouth to take a long drink. When he looked back over at Cody, he was staring off to the side, an angry redness creeping up his neck like a rash.

Noel clapped him on the back suddenly, making him jump. “Hey.”

Cody stammered nervously, not meeting his eyes. “W-what?”

Noel frowned at him. “The fuck is up with you today? You pissed at me for something?” 

“_No_,” Cody said, too emphatically. He winced. “No, seriously, I’m fine. It’s just the... uh. I dunno, this weather. Makin’ me feel weird.” 

“What’re you talking about, you _love_ summer.” 

“I don’t know, okay,” Cody snapped. “Fucking drop it.”

Noel stared at him, pretty much beaming strings of question marks into his brain. 

Cody’s expression shuttered, his voice going quiet once again when he said, “Sorry. I need to, like... lay down or something. I’ll see you later.” 

With that, he walked away from Noel, leaving him all alone with his steadily climbing sense of bewilderment. 

* * *

* * *

They were at a bar, and Noel was getting really into the story he was telling these three guys they’d struck up a rapport with; animated hand gestures, character voices, the whole nine. Cody was just sitting there and laughing uproariously, like Noel was the funniest fucking person in the world. Noel was comfortably buzzed, and he felt so _good_, with a captive audience and jokes effortlessly zipping from his brain to his mouth, and Cody’s carefree grin boosting his ego.

_Goddamn, I love this kid_.

The thought came out of nowhere, but he was comfortable with it in the moment, let it settle over him like a blanket. Because, really, it was an obvious truth, even if he never vocalized it outright. And Noel was so entrenched in that truth right then, so full of gratitude and affection for Cody, that he _had_ to touch him, to show it in some small way. Almost involuntarily, his hand went to Cody’s knee, slid up to rest just above his skull tattoo.

Noel was still mostly engrossed in chattering away with the guys, so he didn’t notice Cody’s demeanor shift for a few minutes. When he finally glanced over at him again, his smile faltered a little, because Cody’s face was suddenly closed off, his eyes angled at the floor. Not wanting to make a big thing of it, Noel simply nudged Cody’s leg with his own, knowing he’d pick up on the unspoken question.

Cody shook his head almost imperceptibly. He cleared his throat. “Excuse me for a sec,” Cody said, addressing the group, “Gonna use the bathroom real quick.” He abandoned his seat, breaking Noel’s contact with him.

Cody’s departure left Noel awash in worry and self-doubt. Cody had been _fine _just a moment ago. It had to have been something he’d said or done. “Hey, I’ll... I’ll be right back,” Noel said distractedly, and headed for the bathroom after Cody.

Inside, Cody was staring blankly into the dirty mirror, looking like he’d forgotten what he went in there to do. He startled a little when he saw that Noel had followed him. 

“Dude,” was all Cody said, reproachfully. 

“Shut up, I needed to wash my hands,” Noel lied, going up to the sink next to Cody’s and pumping some liquid soap out of the dispenser. 

“Okay,” Cody said, as Noel ran his hands under the tap, thoughts a harried mess. What the fuck did he even want to say? Noel took his sweet time cranking the thing on the paper towel dispenser, stalling as he attempted to mentally string together something to break the silence with.

Cody ended up doing the hard part. “You gonna wipe your ass with all that, or what?” 

“Huh?” Noel blinked, then realized Cody was referring to the many sheets of paper towel he’d ejected from the dispenser. _Oops_.

“So listen,” Cody said, apparently emboldened now, “I’ve been kinda. Moody, lately, I know that. And I just want you to know it’s got nothing to do with you.” 

Noel felt a swell of relief. “Yeah?” 

“Yeah, man. I’m a fuckin’ idiot, that’s all. Not your problem.”

“Ah c’mon,” Noel said, “You’ve been my problem since we first met.” 

Too fucking sappy, but he could blame that on the alcohol.

Cody’s face did an interesting twisty thing that Noel wished he could read. He forced a cough. “Whatever, dude. Let’s get back out there ‘fore they think we’re sucking each other off in here.” 

“Oooh, careful,” Noel said automatically, “you’re giving me ideas.” He abandoned his scroll of paper towels in favor of wiping his damp hands off on Cody’s sweatshirt. 

“Fuck _off_,” Cody said through a laugh, elbowing him as they fought each other out the door. 

* * *

* * *

“Here,” Noel said, depositing a to-go cup of coffee and a takeout box in front of Cody.

Cody brushed his hair out of his face, dragged his attention away from Adobe Premiere. “This is for me?”

Noel made a face at him. “Can’t have you die of starvation in my fuckin’ gaming chair, dog. You _know_ how much this thing cost. That being said, if you eat in here I will kill you.”

“Alright, alright,” Cody said, grabbing the box and coffee cup and meandering out to the kitchen. He perched at the island and began to eat, taking huge bites that betrayed how much time had passed since he'd last eaten. Noel sat next to him and just kinda watched him for a minute, chin propped on his fist.

Cody grew visibly self-conscious when he noticed him looking, hunching his shoulders and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “What? Why’re you staring,” he said, his mouth still full. 

“Have you been sleeping okay?” Noel asked abruptly, the question springing forth without his permission. He’d wanted to _lead up_ to a careful inquiry along those lines, but okay. His mouth clearly had other ideas. 

Cody looked surprised. “Uhhh. Sure, I guess. Why- " 

“Really? ‘Cause you look..."

_Don’t say ‘like shit’, you’ll offend him. And anyway, Cody never looks like shit. Even when he does. Like now._

Cody pushed away the remaining half of his sandwich. “I look like what?”

He was frowning now. Of course he was. Noel _knew_ his boy, knew all the things he was not-so-secretly sensitive about, and how to gently coax him around barbed thoughts of those things. Well. _Usually_, he was good at that. He’d been a little clumsy today thus far. 

“Like you need to finish your food,” Noel said casually, sliding the takeout box back towards him.

Cody gave him a dirty look. “Y’know... you don’t need to keep _mothering_ me, man. I’m not fuckin’ incapable of taking care of myself.” 

“I know,” Noel said, though his brain was chanting, _Doubt_. “I just like taking care of you.” 

_That_ part was 100% true. He couldn’t even be embarrassed about saying it out loud, that’s how fundamental it was to like, his self-identity these days. Or something.

Cody, on the other hand, was staring down at the countertop with the intensity of a man deciphering hieroglyphics. “Okay,” he said, his voice small.

Noel allowed himself a moment of fondness because, listen. It was gratifying to have this much influence on someone’s emotions. And also, Cody was fucking cute when he was embarrassed. Which happened kind of a lot, but still. Noel loved it every time.

“Oh,” Noel said, before the silence between them could get awkward, “I meant to show you this thing a fan sent me yesterday.” 

He pulled out his phone for an easy deflection and mentally noted the relief that had sprouted on Cody’s face. _Interesting_. 

* * *

* * *

Noel had been vacationing in Asia for the past week and a half, and as dope as it was, he’d started to get to that point where the homesickness was steadily creeping in and he was thoroughly sick of living out of a suitcase. He was also _actually_ sick, had somehow developed a mild case of laryngitis that he could only treat with throat lozenges, copious amounts of water, and weed abstinence. So yeah, that fucking sucked.

His mood was considerably brightened by the fact that he’d finally get to talk to Cody later that night - it would be their first video call since Noel’s vacation had started. He missed the kid more than was probably normal, but he could mostly explain that away with the fact that Cody had been right there with him for his last couple of international trips.

Rationalizations aside, he found himself practically giddy with anticipation hours later, when he was waiting for Cody to dial in.

“_There_ he is!” Noel exclaimed, as Cody’s face popped onto the screen. 

“What’s fuckin’ good,” Cody said, in the fuckboy voice, but his smile was completely genuine. 

“Dude, it’s been a minute.” 

“Forreal,” Noel agreed, and then Cody was furrowing his brow.

“Whoa, hold up, hold up. What’s wrong with your voice?” 

“Uh, yeah, picked up some throat cancer a couple days ago. I’ve had worse.” 

“Hey, with this shitty audio quality, you sound like fuckin’ Bane, from Batman.” 

Noel grinned. “Do I?” 

“Yeah! You sound like you’ve been... deepthroating a steel beam.” 

“So I sound sexy, is what you’re saying.”

“_So_ sexy, dude. You’ve suddenly got, like, what’s that Roman shit called? _Gravitas_. Just by virtue of your voice.” 

“Shut the fuck up, man,” Noel said, laughing. 

“Okay, but seriously, shouldn’t you be resting your vocal chords right now? You’ll definitely get worse if you talk for like an hour straight.” 

“Bold of you to assume this isn’t a ten-minute courtesy call," Noel countered. 

Cody got legitimately flustered at that, fumbling his words. “No, I... Sorry, I just meant-" 

“Cody, I’m joking. If I wanna fry my voice box talking to you all night, that’s my own business.” 

“Oh. So- " 

“Yeah. Strap in for the next couple of hours _at least_, ‘cause we’ve got shit to catch up on. Like, that new tattoo you just posted about? I dunno who allowed that to happen, but let me just say...”

The next three hours flew by like they were nothing, and after they finally said goodbye to each other, the ache that Noel was more concerned about was the one in his chest, not his throat. 

* * *

* * *

“Holy shit, Cody,” Noel said, whistling admiringly. 

“_What_,” Cody said, self-consciously covering his bare torso with the shirt Noel had handed him a moment ago to replace the one he’d stained with salsa.

“Gym’s really paying off, that’s all,” Noel said, not without a hint of envy. As of late he’d been pretty good about sticking to a consistent fitness regimen, too, but he was pretty sure his results weren’t nearly as noticeable as Cody’s.

“Um. Thanks,” Cody said haltingly, but Noel could tell that he was flattered. There was a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and he’d stood a little taller.

“Yeah,” Noel continued, wanting to gas him up, “but you gotta slow down for my sake, alright? Can’t have you monopolizing the pussy around here.”

It was stupid, but Cody’s delighted laugh, and the warmth blooming in his cheeks... those were _exactly_ the reactions Noel had been going for. They weren’t a single bit less satisfying for their formulaicity.

* * *

* * *

“You sure you don’t want a bite of this?” Cody asked, indicating his melting soft serve cone. 

“Chocolate ice cream’s not my thing,” Noel said.

“It’s not just chocolate, it’s chocolate mocha.”

“It’s vegan,” Noel responded. 

That set Cody off. “Trust me, man, if there’s anything vegan that’s worth trying, it’s vegan ice cream. ‘Cause like, specifically if it’s made with coconut milk - none of that soy shit - the mouthfeel is the same, and you can eat as much of it as you want without needing to shit your intestines out of your- "

Just to shut him up, Noel leaned over and took a bite of his ice cream, right out of his hand. 

“Hmm,” Noel said, slouching back in his chair and pretending to contemplate the taste. “Yup, that _mouthfeel_ is really something.”

Cody looked like his brain needed to be rebooted.

_Ha. Headshot._

Noel smiled innocently at him, and Cody uttered something along the lines of, _Uh, um, I’m, bathroom_, before he scrambled out of his chair to presumably find the nearest public bathroom, still holding his cone aloft. 

Noel had come to a certain realization a while ago, and he was well aware that he was being kind of sadistic, in light of that realization. But _wow_, Cody made it too fucking easy. 

* * *

* * *

“So where does Ansel Elgort rank on your list of guys you’d fuck if you were gay? Is he, like, the pinnacle?” 

“No, he’s not,” Cody said, “also, it’s not a list of guys I’d fuck _if I were gay_. It’s just a list of guys I’d fuck.” 

“Fair,” Noel said, hooking Cody’s ankle with his own when he made as if to slide off the couch. 

“Who’s at the top of that list, if it's not Ansel?” 

Cody fidgeted uncomfortably. “Alex Jones,” he said evasively.

“Cody, c’mon, I’m curious.” 

“Why? And while I’m at it, don’t _you_ also have a list, even if it’s a really short one? Don’t lie.” 

“One dude does come to mind,” Noel said enigmatically, pausing like he needed to think about it first. 

“Wait, really!? _Who_?”

Noel couldn’t tell if Cody was more shocked that Noel might actually be attracted to a man, or that he would admit to it of his own volition. 

“Oh, just this guy I know. He’s pretty dumb, but that’s part of his appeal.” 

“Ah.” Cody’s face darkened. He’d obviously been expecting Noel to name some unattainable celebrity. “Do I... Do I know him?”

Noel was trying to play this cool, but it was starting to _kill_ him to keep a straight face. “Are you jealous?” 

“_No_, I’m not _jealous_,” Cody snapped, pushing himself upright and away from Noel. 

“Don’t be like that, baby,” Noel said, wholly unable to keep from smirking, now. 

“Dude, stop fucking with me,” Cody said angrily, “I’m seriously not in the mood.”

“Hey, you’re the one who started this conversation,” Noel said. “Let me tell you a little more about this guy I’ve been thinking about.”

“I’d prefer it if you didn’t.” 

“So like I said,” Noel continued, ignoring him, “he’s dumb... in some ways, but really fuckin’ smart in others. Like, he can say exactly the right thing to defuse the tension in a room. And his business sense is the shit. And when he really sets his mind to something, he can kick ass at it in like, no time at all. It’s honestly pretty goddamn annoying.” 

Cody’s features were now caught somewhere between confusion and burgeoning understanding. 

Noel stood up. “He’s hot enough to make his occasionally questionable outfit choices look good, which is just... wild. He’s positive and empathetic and a great influence on me, as hard as that is to believe sometimes.” 

Cody swallowed nervously, licked his lips. Noel took a couple steps towards him. 

“He secretly doesn’t have enough confidence in himself. If I were him, I’d be three times as vain as he is.” 

“Uh,” Cody said weakly, “Noel...” 

“Also, he surfs. And he lives in Venice. And he thinks frosted tips are unironically cool in the year 2019.” 

Noel took a deep breath and bracketed Cody’s waist with his hands. “Still not getting it? His name is- " 

“Jesus, stop,” Cody said, his voice a wreck. “You’re such a _dickhead_.”

“I know,” Noel said, and kissed him, gently at first, then with more fervor, teasing Cody’s mouth open with his tongue like he’d been fantasizing about doing for a long, long time. 

* * *

* * *

“When did you figure it out?” 

“Figure what out?” 

“That I... y’know. How I feel about you.” 

“Don’t be mad... but... I kinda put it together about a month ago.” 

“Noel!” 

“I know, I know!”

“So you were fuckin’ jerking me around for _weeks_?” 

“Okay, look, I needed time to figure out how to make it a _thing_.”

“You could’ve just said, _hey Cody, wanna fuck_?“

“Would that seriously have worked?” 

“Yes!” 

“Damn, wish I’d known you were such a cockslut.” 

“Don’t- don’t try to distract me, dude. I'm not gonna forget the _torture_ you put me through, when you knew and I didn’t.” 

“I wasn’t exactly being subtle, to be fair.” 

“I hate you. Don’t talk to me.” 

“You mean that?” 

“... No, of fucking course I don’t. But you’re gonna need to make it up to me.” 

“Gladly! Come here.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Back on my bullshit! 
> 
> I can't emphasize enough how very bad at writing plot I am, so most of my fics are just loosely connected UST-ridden scenes that culminate in gross fluff. I'm predictable. And also I will always suck eggs at titles. Hope some of you like this anyway! 
> 
> I'm trying to finish up a pretty weird AU I'm writing with these guys, so you'll get at least one more TMG fic out of me eventually.


End file.
